Every special occasion needs to be memorable. So it’s only fitting to dress our best to grace the most important moments of our lives. Graduation day, for instance, is a special day that marks the beginning of a new life chapter. And what could be the best way to honor all your efforts and sacrifices during this special event? That’s right, wearing the best dress is definitely the best reward that you could ever give to yourself. But what happens when you can’t find the perfect dress for you? Take a hint from Ciara Gan, a student from Manila who amazed the world with her hand-painted graduation dress.
Choosing the perfect dress for graduation is a challenge that everyone has to make at some point. However, it could really become troublesome if nothing seems to suit your taste. Needless to say, we would never put ourselves to wear something we don’t like. Rather than to waste time searching for the perfect dress, Ciara decided to make her own dress. With the help of her mom, Gan created a custom dress that also exhibits her passion for painting. But never did she expect that her hand-painted graduation dress would amaze people from different parts of the world. Most people would think that this stunning emerald green gown with large pleats is made by a professional fashion designer. Who would have thought that this elegant dress was made by a 17-year-old girl?
Ciara Gan couldn’t find her ideal dress for graduation so she decided to design and create her own
With the help of her mom, Ciara was able to make her own hand-painted graduation dress
Every detail of the gown reflects Ciara’s interest. She chose emerald green because the color represents the Slytherin house in Harry Potter. Obviously, she’s a huge fan of the infamous Hogwarts house. After deciding the fabric color, Ciara has to face the most difficult challenge which is the garment construction. Sewing a voluminous gown would be a tough task for Ciara. On top of that, she had no prior experience in making a dress. But that didn’t stop her in designing her ideal graduation dress. By watching Youtube tutorials, she was able to learn the basics of sewing. Based on her design, she and her mom started to sew the fabric one panel at a time. After which, they set up the crinoline to hold out the skirt panels.
When the construction was completed, Ciara proceeded to decorate the skirt with floral paintings. Inspired by the book Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson, she chose to paint orange flowers instead of the conventional roses.
Ciara spent five days to finish the flower paintings on the skirt. Then she later added some Swarovski crystals to complement the floral paintings and to add more sparkle.
Her hand-painted graduation dress has won the approval of people from social media. Many people believe that she has a great future in fashion design. But she is aspiring to become a scientist someday. Despite her love for science, Ciara doesn’t deny the possibility of applying art in science. “I am in love with both the arts and sciences and I want to incorporate two different things with each other.”
